Spiritual supposition

Nonetheless, the power of religious belief has shaped our history over many centuries. Under many regimes, religion was a form of social control to prevent any deviation from authoritarian orthodoxy, and this social control was abetted by a poor standard of education about non-worldly matters. Such matters were often explained within an extremely rigid context of complete obedience; human minds were then less free to ponder and question alleged truths than is the case in today's highly developed climate of learning and knowledge.

However, there has always existed within human beings an innate spirituality which, amongst other outcomes, has led to a better understanding of morality and ethics.

The word 'spirituality' in early Christianity referred to an orientation toward the Holy Spirit and broadened during late medieval times to include other mental aspects of life. In more modern times, the term spread to other religions and also expanded to refer to a wider range of experience including esoteric traditions and various religious traditions.

Modern usage tends to refer to spirituality as a subjective experience of the "deepest values and meanings by which people live" - often in a context separate from organised religious institutions.

Human beings no longer need to live in awe of some imagined deity as we have for countless generations during which terrible atrocities have been committed in the name of some allegedly compassionate divine being. Instead, to be profoundly spiritual is to develop and maintain a kind, caring, empathetic way of living without a conformist, driving need to take up some kind of religious persuasion.

The hypocrisy of those who profess outwardly religious conviction yet behave in ways at complete variance to those professed ideals is far easier to spot in today's media-enhanced environment. In turn, this exposure raises speculation about how these people reconcile their behavior with their faith, or how they remain true to themselves. Surely they must realise that they are not only fooling others – they are fooling themselves. Truth is truth - not necessarily truth as some may portray it.

Additionally, some religions fool themselves when they fail to see that personal behavior, ethics, and morality all dwell in the domain of the individual – oneself.

It is important to understand the meaning and nature of spirituality so as to keep it free from the influences of the suppositions imposed on it by religion.